Introduction
The main goal of IFT is to provide a solid foundation for the pilot on the way to the Wings of Gold. Lets face it, the FUN part of role playing a Navy environment is progression and achievement. Those come with work, dedication and challenge. There is no “fun” in being awarded the GOAL after flight basic training, that’s like giving you a medal before you accomplished anything, and defeats the whole purpose of becoming a Naval Aviator. To be honest, being rewarded before you are actually eligible to be an award recipient is negative and makes the whole program seem pointless.
Having said this, we must take into account Second Life and the span of the interest people have here is not as broad as in real life nor is it the purpose of the Navy in SL to become an Academy where you need hundreds of hours of classes and dozens of exams to merely fly as a Naval Aviator. 99% would drop out. However we don’t want things too simple either. Giving out Naval Aviator Wings to those who simply pass the Primary Flight Training (PFT) alone does not do the pilot or the Navy service. So the virtue is in the middle. What we propose is a reasonable IFT split between 3rd and 7th Fleet with each giving the best they have to offer given their operational capabilities and the knowledge they have acquired over time.
3rd Fleet is about joint missions, patrols, support, navigation, SAR, shore based operations and long range surface and air missions. 7th Fleet is about carrier operations in a combat environment. 7th Fleet NATC based program is based on combat in a closed environment and COQ. 3rd Fleet NATC based program is based on surface and air control and surveillance in a broad multi continent environment and it is at this time 85% shore based.
What we propose is to get all NA and NFO candidates through PFT (Primary Flight Training) qualified as Student Naval Aviators (SNAs) or Student Naval Flight Officers (SNFOs) - this includes theory as well as practice - and ready to fly active duty while pursuing the IFT goals, achieved by passing a number of theory and practical classes split between the two Fleets. These are designed to serve both fixed wing and rotary wing pilots and flight officers and will lead to the Advanced training program. The AFT will be a mixed program composed of active duty complex missions, Navy Fighter Weapons School courses, advanced NATC training with the Navy Flight Demonstration Team or advanced flight with the United States Naval Test Pilot School. These are achieved over time and the mere presence in one of these AFT programs grants access to AFT credits towards the Wings of Gold during or after IFT completion.
So a SNA or SNFO officer will get the wings after IFT and upon entering one of the AFT credits options - which for ALL will be the preferred ACTIVE DUTY in a more demanding environment. NFWS and NFDT are the crown jewels where you get the wings pinned on your chest shortly after deployment if entered after IFT, but that, in the case of the NFDT, can provide the necessary AFT credits while taking IFT if the SNA or SNFO are deployed to NFDT as candidates.
An important part of the program is to make people aware of their options, what is available and how they can progress. Not only must the courses, active duty and certificates be available, they must also be visible. At the moment this information is not easily available or spread between various personnel and groups.
Below is the road map to IFT and which classes are taken by Student Naval Aviators.
The Naval Flight Officer program is being developed together with 7th Fleet.
Completion of the following classes and training exercises is required for application to IFT exam:
V prefix - Fixed wing module
H prefix - Rotary wing module
VH prefix - Common V and H module
CL - Theory Class
TE - Training Exercise
IFT VH01 . Aircraft control and operation . CL
classes: NAAR 01 / NAAR 02 / ACO Intermediate
SL Flight versus RL flight; recovery and loss; fuel; damage; aircraft identification; manufacturer on board systems versus third party on board systems; navigation methods applied to flight.
IFT VH02 . Air Traffic Control and related operations part one . CL
Class: ATC Basic
Types of ATC; Civilian and military ATC; GRID ATC; radio communications in the fleet; #11 ATC.
IFT VH03 . Air Traffic Control and related operations part two . CL
Classes: ATC Intermediate
ATC related communications procedure, global and navy; departure ground procedure; arrival air and ground procedures; case study: N.A.S. Miramar ATC.
IFT VH04 . Joint operations and multi-aircraft missions . CL
Class: JOMA Intermediate
Types of multi-aircraft operations; types of formations; take off and landing applied to formations.
IFT VH05 . By the book . CL
Class: BTB Intermediate
Records and their importance; flight reports; mission specific reports; types of note card forms and common components; adding relevant items to a note card report; briefing, preflight, post-flight, debriefing.
IFT VH06 . Carrier Operations Qualification - COQ . CL
7th Fleet carrier operations program modules 1 and 2.
IFT VH07 . Communications . CL
GridTalkie intermediate class.
Beyond basics. Communications on Third Fleet.
IFT V01 / IFTR H01 . ACO practice . TE
Aircraft Operation practice.
IFT V02 / IFTR H02 . ACO/ATC practice . TE
Aircraft Operation practice. Navy ATC practice. Civilian ATC practice.
IFT V03 / IFTR H03 . Navigation . TE
Navigation practice: following and creating routes.
IFT V04 / IFTR H04 . Joint operations part one . TE
Formation take off procedures; assembly after take off; flight in formation, variables; holding pattern in formation; types of landing breaks; conventional and carrier landings.
IFT V05 / IFTR H05 . Joint operations part two . TE
Joint patrols; joint Search and Rescue.
IFT V06 / IFTR H06 . Carrier operations . TE
Flight ops on a carrier: take off, patterns, landings, ATC.
IFT VEX . Final exams
Practical - WOC/T2
Theory - VHO
IFT HEX .Final Exams
Practical - WOC/900
Theory - VHO
The practical exams are done with an IFT NAS Miramar examiner.
The theory exams are oral before a panel of IFT NAS Miramar examiners.
IFT estimated duration: 8 weeks.
Type of attendance: Mandatory, verifiable by bench marks.
Attendants: Officers pursuing Naval Aviator / Naval Flight Officer (*) grade on any V or H squadrons.
(*) NFO's attending these classes are awarded credits towards their wings and may apply for NA with these credits accounted for if IFT is taken in the next cycle. Accumulation of credits beyond one cycle is not accepted.
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